Typewriting machine



Aug. 9, 1938. E. WISE 2,

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed March 13, 1936 INV NTOR ZZmerL. K5386,

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE rrrnwarrmc moms Elmer L. Wise, Bridgeport, Conn assignor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 13, 1936, Serial No. 68,648

8 Claims.

type bars, the-sections of which are releasably connected, the outermost section terminating at its free end in a hollow rectangular holder, head or chase to 'removably accommodate a series of single types to represent, for instance, a date, as Feb. 29, 1936, or an abbreviation as "Mdse" or Cash".

Suitable means is provided to releasably retain the typesin place, sothat the operator may set types to represent any desired date, abbreviation or other wording.

The characters forming the date or abbreviation designation occupy a plurality of letter spaces, and suitable means forrmng no part of the present invention, is provided to automaticaily effect an abnormal letter spacing travel 0! thecarriage'when the date or other plurality of simultaneously printed letters is printed in its appropriate column.

One disadvantage residing in the above struc-' ture is that the individual type bodies composing v 'the date, abbreviation or other designation become somewhat worn, after a time, due to repeated placing in and'removal from the holder, as a result of which, it is diiiicult to hold them in perfect alignment relatively to each other.

Hence, the imprints are not as symmetrical and nice-appearing as the remainder of the printed matter in that line.

The. present invention is an improvement the preceding structure, one object being to provide a removably held date or abbreviation designation, the characters composing which shall always retain their alignment and space intervals, regardless of the number of times the particular designation is inserted in and removed from the holder. e

Other objects and advantages will be more fully set forth hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing: Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a sectional type bar, and its key mechanism, with which this invention is conveniently associated;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view of the improved logotype holding device, taken on line 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on liner-4 of Fig. 2; A

Fig.- 4 is a bottom plan view, and

so Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged detail perspective view of a single one of a set of types for insertion into and removal from the type holder.

The invention is shown applied to a flat bed writing machine of the Elliott Fisher type, but its use is not restricted to machines of that class.

customarily, because of the extended letter space interval covered by the imprint of a plurality of type faces simultaneously on the work sheet, the special type head or holder for such types is arranged for operation by a special key located at one extreme side of the keyboard field.

This key, in turn, is linked to a type bar located preferably near either end of the supporting type segment, so that when the type bar is in actuated position, it, together with its types, will lie substantially parallel with the line of writing, as shown in Fig. 1, thus avoiding the necessity of arranging the type head or holder askew relatively to the longitudinal axis of the type bar, with the attendant disadvantages, such as interferencewith the other type bars of the set, for one: I

With the foregoing in mind, depression of the special key lever iii, (Fig. 1), pivoted on the usual fulcrum bar ii, thrusts a link or push rod I2 downwardly, to rock the rear end of an, intermediate lever i3, fulcrumed at H to the upper end of a post i5 projecting upwardly from the supporting deck i6 oi the carriage.

The supporting deck i6 is substantially semicircular in plan view, or is semi-circularly recessed, so that the forward ends of the intermediate levers i3 overhang the recessed portion.

A draw link il connects the forward end of the intermediate lever i3 with a bell-crank lever 18, one arm of which is pivoted at i9 to a hanger 20 depending from the bottom face of the supporting deck I, an adjustable link or turn buckle 2i connecting the bell crank lever II with the tail of a type stock or bar 22 pivoted at 23 to a bracket 24 -fastened to the type segment ring 25.

Hence, upon depression of the key iii, and the consequent rocking of the intermediate lever IS, the draw link I1 is raised to rock the bell crank lever i8, and through the adjustable link or turn buckle II, to swing the normally vertical type stock or bar downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1, against the tension of its restoring spring 26, to effect the imprint of the type mounted on the type bar, on the work sheet supported by the p ten 21. Y

Release of pressure on the key lever iii enables the spring 26 to restore the type action to normal position, assisted by a key lever restoring spring, -(not shown) all as more fully described and illustrated in U. B. patent to Foothorap, 1,251,361, issued December 25, 1917.

In the present-instance, the type bar is made sectional, the outer end of the stock 22 being grooved on its opposite edges to removably accommodate a jaw member 30 carrying at its outer end a hollow type bar head or holder 3|, of rectangular form, open at one edge to form a pocket.

Suitable means, as a spring clip, releasably connects the stock and law member.

Heretofone, separate types, (see Fig. 5), were assembled in the type holder or head 3| by the operator as required, the types being placed in and removed from the hollow head or holder one by one, preferably with the aid of tweezers, and after the holder is filled, a ball 32 of resilient material, pivoted at its ends in the end walls adjacent the bottom of the holder, is swung down to enter grooves in the sides of the type bodies, the side arms of the bail being sprung past bosses 33 projecting from the opposite ends of the holder 3| to hold the bail effective to retain the individual types in assembled position in the holder.

A roll 31 seated in the holder and Journaled on the inwardly projecting pivoted ends of the bail serves to protect the inner ends oi the latching ball from injury by the inner ends of the types and also affords a stop to uniformly limit the ex? tents to which the individual types can be inserted in the holder, to maintain the several type faces level. i

When it is desired to change the designation, the operator must first spring the resilient ball 32 forwardly over the bosses 33 to release the individual types, shown in Fig. 5, which types are then removed, others inserted, and the bail restored to eifective position.

The foregoing is old and constitutes a part of this invention only insofar as it co-acts with the novel features hereinafter set forth.

The individual types being often cast or made from a relatively soft metal, became worn after I a series of insertions into and removals'from the type holder 3|.

Furthermore, because of the necessity for forming the holder of sufllcient size toenable the ready insertion and removal of the types by unskilled operators, a little wear only, in addition to such clearance, soon results in a "cocking" of the individual types so that they lie atslight angles to each other, and the consequent imprint was unsightly.

The present invention is designed to avoidthese and other disadvantages, by providinga filler piece or block'35 preferably of a metal less liable to wear than the metal of which the types are made, and of a size and shape to fit into the type head or holder 3|.

A tapered seat 36 is formed transversely of the block 35, the larger end of which seat is located in the exposed edge of the block, and preferably near that end of the block farthest from the type stock 22, the restricted inner end of the seat communicating with an intersecting aperture 31 formed through the block from side to side thereof.

The tapered seat 36 accommodates the similarly tapered stem 38 formed integrally with a type body 38 extending at right angles to the stem and having a plurality of types on its lower or printing face to represent a word, abbreviation, date or its reduced end enters the intersecting aperture 31 when the logotype is driven home.

The type block 35 with its attached logotype 33 may be readily placed in and moved from the type holder 3|, as a unit, by the operator of the machine, without the aid of tools, the block being of such width that its outer edge from which the logotype 39 projects, protrudes beyond the open end of the type holder 3|, when the inner edge a of the block rests against the limiting roll 34.

A groove 40, (Figs. 2 and 4), extending longitudinally along one side of the protruding portion of the block enables the latching ball 32 to releasably retain the type block and its logotype in place, in the manner heretofore explained.

The positioning of the logotype 39 in its seat in the type block 35 is preferably performed at the factory to insure that the types thereon shall effect an imprint in perfect alinement with the types on the individual type bars of the writing machine, it being possible to provide the logotype with type faces corresponding in size with the individual types on the regular type bars of the machine, whereas the separate types set up in the type holder 3| are of smaller size than the regular types, because it is impracticable to provide a type holder of sufficient size to hold date types (for instance) of a size corresponding with the regular types without interference with'the operationof those type bars lying adjacent the special type bar holder.

Entry of a suitable tool into the aperture 3! enables the repairman to release the logotype stem 38 from its seat 36, in case of breakage or for the purpose of inserting a logotype bearing different types, but this operation is not recommended for the average machine operator.

Instead, a set of type blocks 35, each having seated therein a different logotype maybe conveniently provided for insertion and removal as a unit relatively to the type holder 3|.

The logotype 39 is offset relatively to. a line drawn vertically through the longitudinal center of the block (Fig. 3) so as to space the impression of the first type of the logotype sufllciently far away from the impression of the final letter of the preceding word as not to overlap such last named impression.

In other words, if the logotype key lever l0 is depressed immediately after the letter key used in printing the final letter of the preceding word, no intervening letter spacing stroke being taken, the first letter of the logotype will be spaced the same distance from the final letter of the preceding zrangement of the several parts described'without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new, is:

. 1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a selective key action, including a type bar, having a type head formed to accommodate a plurality of individual types at one time; and means to releasably retain the types assembled with the type head; of'means to adapt the multiple type head for the assembly therewith of a single printing member bearing a plurality of type faces, such means including a type block removably accommodated in and filling the type head, and with which alone the releasable, 'retaining means co-acts; and a single type member mounted in the type block and having a plurality of type faces.

2. The combination with a type head formed to' accommodate at one time, a plurality of individual types; and means to releasably retain the several types and the head assembled; of means to adapt the multiple type head for use with a logotype member, including a type block removably held in the type head by the retaining means,

the type block having an opening in its outer' edge; and a stemmed logotype, the stem of which seats in the opening. 1

3. The combination with a type head formed to accommodate a plurality of separate and individual types at once; and means, to releasably retain the types and type head assembled; of means to adapt the multiple type head for use with a single printing member, including a type block removably accommodated in and filling the type head, with which removable block the releasable retaining means co-acts to retain the type head and type block assembled, the type block having an opening therein; and a stemmed type member, the stem of which is seated in the 4. The combination with a type head formed to accommodate a plurality of separate and individual types at once; and means to releasably retain the types and type head assembled; of means to adapt the multiple type head for use with a single printing member, including a type block removably accommodated in and filling the ty e head, with which removable block the releasable retaining means co-acts to retain the type head and type block assembled, the type block having an opening therein; intersected by an aperture formed transversely of the type block.

5. The combination with a type head formed to accommodate at one time a plurality of individual types having grooved sides; and a resilient bail mounted on the type head and adapted to enter the alined grooves to releasably retain the several types and the head assembled; of means to adapt the multiple type head for use with a single printing member, including a grooved type block removably accommodated in, and filling the type head, the resilient bail being accommodated in the groove in the type block to retain the type block and type head assembled, the type block having an opening in its outer edge; and a stemmed type member, the stem of which is seated in theopening.

6. In a type bar, the combination with a holder open along one edge; a type block removably accommodated in the holder; means to releasably retain the holder and block assembled, the type block having a tapered seat formed in its outer edge'oifset from the center of the block.

7. In a. writing machine, having selective keys, and a type bar having a boxlike holder formed at its free end, and open along one edge; the combination of a filler piece shaped to conform to the shape of the boxlike holder and removably accommodated in the holder, the filler piece having a seat formed in its outer edge; means to releasably retain the filler piece within the holder; and a logotype frictionally mounted in the seat in the outer edge of the filler piece, and off-set relatively the holder; and a logotype having a projection frictionally engaging the seat in the filler piece,

ELMER L. WISE. 

